Process for preparing propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and alkoxyacetones

Abstract

Propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and alkoxyacetones are formed by contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and (a) acetaldehyde or (b) an acetal and an alcohol, with a catalyst comprising a cobalt-containing compound and at least one tin- or germanium-containing promoter.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for preparing propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and alkoxyacetones which comprises reacting a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, a material selected from the group consisting of (a) acetaldehyde and (b) an acetal of the formula:   (R'O).sub.2 CHCH.sub.3     wherein R' is an alkyl radical of from 1 to 10 carborn atoms, and an alcohol of the formula:     ROH,     wherein R is an alkyl radical of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cobalt-containing compound and a promoter selected from the group consisting of tin- and germanium-containing compounds at superatmospheric pressures of about 500 psi or greater and at a temperature of from about 50° to about 350° C.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein the said reaction mixture is heated at a temperature of about 100° to about 250° C. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein the process is conducted at a pressure of about 1000 psi to about 10,000 psig. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein the said cobalt-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of one or more oxides of cobalt, cobalt salts of a mineral acid, cobalt salts of an organic carboxylic acid and cobalt carbonyl or hydrocarbonyl derivatives. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein the said cobalt-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of cobalt oxide, cobalt chloride, cobalt iodide, cobalt nitrate, cobalt sulfate, cobalt acetate, cobalt propionate, cobalt acetylacetonate, and dicobalt octacarbonyl. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein said cobalt-containing compound is dicobalt octacarbonyl. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 wherein the said promoter is a tin-containing compound. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 7 wherein the said tin-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of tributyltin hydride and tributyltin bromide. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 1 wherein the said promoter is a germanium-containing compound. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein the said germanium-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of triphenylgermanium bromide, triphenylgermanium hydride, triethylgermanium chloride, tetraethylgermane, tetraphenylgermane and trimethylgermanium bromide. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 1 wherein the said material is acetaldehyde. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 1 wherein said material is an acetal and an alcohol. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 12 wherein the said acetal is 1,1-diethoxyethane. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 12 wherein the said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, pentanol and isomers thereof. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 12 wherein the said alcohol is ethanol. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim 12 wherein the said alcohol is n-butanol.